Tuesday fasting, or Mangalvar Vrat, is dedicated to Lord Hanuman and to Mangal Grah. In Hinduism, every fast has one or more story associated with it and those people observing the Vrat read or listen to the story on the fasting day. There are several stories associated with Tuesday fasting. This particular Mangalvar Vrat Katha is associated with Lord Hanuman.
Once there was an old lady who was an ardent devotee of Lord Hanuman. She used to observe Mangalvar Vrat. On Tuesday, the old lady used to break her fast at a Hanuman Temple
The old lady was living with her daughter-in-law and she used to get four chapattis on Tuesday from her daughter-in-law. The old lady used to offer two chapattis to Lord Hanuman and eat the other two.
One day the daughter-in-law found out that the old lady was offering chapattis to Hanuman and not eating it fully and wasting them. Next Tuesday she only gave two chapattis. The old lady gave one to Lord Hanuman and ate the other one.
When the daughter-in-law came to know about this she was very angry and on next Tuesday she only gave one chapatti.
The daughter-in-law thought that there is no point in feeding the old lady as she was wasting food at her family’s expense. So on next Tuesday she did not give any food to the old lady.
The old lady reached the temple empty handed and started praying to Hanuman.
Soon a young boy appeared there and asked her why is not breaking the fast and sharing her food with Hanuman.
The old lady told what happened and that today she has nothing to share with Hanuman.
The young boy invited the old lay to his home and promised her that he will provide her daily with milk, chappati, sugar and butter and she can share it with Lord Hanuman.
The old lady was very happy and the young boy asked her to stay with him. The daughter-in-law never bothered about her as she considered the old lady to be a burden.
But soon things began to change at the daughter-in-law’s home. There were diseases, accidents and other misfortunes at her home and they became extremely poor that they could not afford even a single meal.
The daughter-in-law soon realized that all this was due to her denying food to the old lady. She then decided to bring back the old lady. She went to the young boy’s home and asked the old lady to pardon her for her mistakes.
The old lady pardoned her and told the young boy that it is time for her to leave. She wanted the young boy to come with her. The young boy said that whenever she wants to see him she can come to the Hanuman Temple
That night the old lady had a dream in which she saw that the young boy was in reality Lord Hanuman. Tears trickled from the old lady’s eyes. She could not ask for more – It was Hanuman that was protecting her and feeding her.
Soon the old lady narrated the incident to the family members.
The daughter-in-law then started to observe Mangalvar vrat and the family was soon blessed with prosperity.
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